Taking the money saved over the year, we go to the nearest travel agency and find that the dream is, in principle, achievable, but only in Turkey, Egypt, or on the Black Sea coast. But that's not our dream; ours calls us to Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, Goa!.. And we regretfully realize that the cost of a tour there exceeds our means. What to do?
Let's recall the recent past, when our parents, packing typical Soviet suitcases, would get a train ticket and go as 'wild' travelers to the universally loved Anapa, Sochi, Gelendzhik, and other resorts. On site, they would look for accommodation (often more like a shed with outdoor amenities) and have a great rest, returning cheerful and tanned. Why did they do that? After all, at that time there were wonderful sanatoriums and holiday homes with good meals and treatment. The answer is obvious – not everyone could afford it. They faced the same difficulties we do today!
Times have changed, and now colleagues brag not about vacations in sanatoriums on the Black Sea coast, but about trips to all sorts of exotic countries. How much did such a trip cost them? But, I hasten to reassure you – you too can fully afford such a trip, but for half the price. Just prepare in advance and know a few tricks, which will be discussed below.
So, our independent trip will require expenses on airfare, accommodation, and insurance. Also, set aside a certain amount for transfer from the airport to the hotel and back. Approximate cost can be found on websites and forums. Here we will not consider this component, as it is fairly insignificant in the overall budget of the planned trip.
Before buying an airline ticket, carefully read reviews of airlines around the world. When choosing a good airline, your vacation will start already in the airplane seat. With a simpler company, a few hours later. Do not be afraid of transit (a flight with 1-2 stopovers) – it is almost always cheaper than a direct flight. The most convenient connections are 2-3 hours between flights, but you can also choose flights with less (more) connection time. Just carefully read reviews on the site, use the advice of experienced travelers.
Airline tickets will be significantly cheaper if you buy them 2-3 months before departure, during various special offers. To find profitable options, it is convenient to use search engines, of which there are actually not many, and the best ones are described in the 'Search for airline tickets' section on the airline reviews website.
The second important part when preparing for a trip is booking a hotel. An internet search will yield millions of options. Which one to choose? The reader of this article will not have to reinvent the wheel. Dozens of hours of internet surfing to compare prices, assess user-friendliness of the interface, photos and detailed descriptions of rooms, security of payments – all this has been tested in practice by others before you. The result is tips for independent travelers on how to book a hotel cheaply.
And the third part is purchasing an insurance policy for the trip. It is cheaper to do it at the office of a nearby travel agency, but you can also use the service of buying a policy online, i.e., purchase it without leaving home. All necessary documents will be sent to you by e-mail, you only need to print them. This will cost approximately 500-1000 rubles per person, and generally the cost of the policy depends on the country of stay, duration of the trip, amount of insurance coverage, and the degree of 'extremeness' of your vacation.
The author of this article has personally used the links provided, and therefore I want to give such an example. A 12-day vacation during the New Year holidays (when tour prices are at their highest) on the paradise island of Samui cost me 38 thousand rubles per person. We stayed in a villa amidst a real tropical garden, in a luxurious 4-star hotel. Other vacationers who were there at the same time paid about 75 thousand rubles.
In any case, the choice is yours – whether to vacation with tour operators or as a modern 'wild' traveler. Personally, I have made my choice, and may we always be on the same path!
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